I.D Soni
Three Centuries ago, Shivaji was born in India which was distracted and disunited at that time. At the dawn of a new period in Indian history, stands the figure of this simple, stately man- Shivaji. God, the Great Builder of India’s destiny, gave him strength to lift high his nation. His memory is one of the richest treasures of the Indian people. We gaze at his portrait from a distance: and we say to ourselves, “What a force, shakti, goes out of this Leader of the Maharatta people, this Hero of Hindustan.”
Shivaji understood the masses: he understood, too, the soul of his people. And they heard his voice: “From the dangers ahead of us, only strength can save us; and strength must be united.”
By the alchemy of his genius, he changed into something new and strange the simple stuff of peasant and the mountaineer of his native land. Even Aurangzeb paid homage to his memory as that of a “Great Captain.”
His life was moulded by these two forces: (1) Matrashakti: reverence for his mother, (2) Gurubhakti: devotion to his Guru or Spiritual Teacher. Mothers make a nation. And Shivaji owed much to his mother, Jijabai. Self-respect, sympathy, national tradition, stories from the Ramayana and the Mahabharata- dharma, “religion”, and love for the poor- these were impressed by her upon Shivaji’s personality. Sant Ramdas, too, influenced Shivaji to defend religion, to guard the country and protect the people from harm. Shivaji kept his pledge to the Guru. Shivaji dedicated himself to the service of his people.
Not literate yet wise, he moved from place to place, a servant of his Guru, with the Flame of Freedom in his soul, with the Dream of Independence in his eyes.
A great soldier, a great organiser, a great states man, Shivaji was still greater as a man. He recognised the supremacy of the Spiritual Ideals. He placed dharma above might and glory. Shivaji was, at heart, a deeply religious man.
He carved a kingdom. Then he came to his Guru Ramdas and said, “Master! The kingdom is yours. Accept it.” Ramdas said, “Shivaji my son! I give thee this kingdom back as a trust.” Shivaji believed profoundly that he held his raj” as a trust from his Guru for the service of the people.
Modest, simple, chivalrous to women, generous to his foes, penetrated with a spirit of religion, Shivaji was essentially a friend of the poor. He had a time for great things: he had time for small things, too. Do we err in regarding him as one of the few really great rulers in all history? His fame will not be dimmed but will, we believe, grow in the coming days. For upon India is come ana awakening that cannot die. And the story of his life is eloquent with the message: Fear none! Fear but one thing, unfaith in our Destiny! For unfaith is Death.
A. SHIVA JI: A PRACTICAL MYSTIC:-
Three men of action in the pre-modernperiod of Hindu history fill our minds, with awe: Rana Pratap, Guru Gobind Singh, and Sri Shivaji: Each one initiated a great movement for national liberty. Each one was an idealist in Action, a practical Mystic.
They came to join Shivaji’s banner, they came from different classes and communities. Brahmins and Prabhus, Mavlas and peasants, men from the uplands, men from the lowlands; they came to co-operate with him in freedoms work. They risked their very lives to serve him. For eight months was he kept a captive at Agra. His soldiers remained loyal to him. All stood by his cause in his absence, why?
They knew he was there to serve others, to free India, to guard the Hindu faith. He did not love power, pomp, or show. He was essentially religious. This man of action was a mystic; alone the mystics had become mighty men of action. At an early age he learnt of the tradition that Bhavani the Goddess had in a vision to Maloji declared that one from his family would arise to be the liberator of his race. At an early age, too, Sivaji hears from his mother, stories of the greatest heroes of Ramayana and Mahabharata. And the Dream entered into his heart of being the Man of his Destiny, the man who must liberate the Hindu Race. The Dream mingled with his work until he achieved the great Deed of his life. He went to the woods and meditated on the fleeting nature of the world. Then came to him the great message of Sant Tukaram: “Go and labour” for the welfare of the people.
Soon after, he fell again into other Worldly mood. He met Sant Ramdas and asked to be initiated, “I am your disciple.” He said. “I wish now to leave my raj and be near you to serve you everyday.” Then spoke the saint to Shivaji the message of Krishna to Arjuna: “Yours is the Kshatriya dharma, to defend the country and serve the Gods.”
Ramdas stands at the foot of Shivaji Palace one day. Ramdas wants alms. Shivaji gets a document written making over his entire raj as alms money to the saint. “You are giving me your entire kingdom,” says Ramdas, “What will you do now?” Shivaji, in utter humility says, “I shall wait in attendance upon you as a disciple.” Then says the saint to him, “Remember Rama and Janak. They did not renounce their kingdoms. Return to your raj and do your dharma.” And Shivaji holds the realm as a trust from his Guru and God for the service of the people. It is easy to understand his simple habits and his love of the simple folk.
Napoleon was a man of force, but an egoist. Shivaji was modest in the hour even of the greatest triumphs. Cromwell had in him a mystical vein, but he lacked the guidance of an inspired saint like Ramdas ji. Cromwell was a mystic, but a fanatic. History stands a witness against his deeds in Catholic Ireland. Shivaji did not harm the Muslims. He did not pull down a single mosque. He had a respect for Muslim saints. Ceaser was a great general but was ambitious. Shivaji’s ruling passion was not to gather power for himself but to serve the Hindu Race. Alfred had a beautiful heart, but he lacked the creative shakti of Shivaji.
Here, to our mind, is the secret of Shivaji’s greatness, that moving on the plane of action, his yearning and aspirations and ideals moved in an atmosphere of the spiritual. Yes, Shivaji is of the race of practical mystics. And if a nation has one such man to lead it, there is Hope for it; however dark the night.
Stanton Coit has rightly said, “According to thine opportunity, thou must be the strength of the Weak, the refuge of the sorrowful. Thou must have compassion on those within thy reach who are worn with toil. Thou must defend and cherish the young; bless and support the aged; welcome strangers who come thy way; comfort those who are distressed in mind and body. Be assured if thou failest, none other- not nature, nor man, nor angel, nor creator- will render the service or bestow the love due from thee.”
In Shivaji’s heart was love immense for the poor, the needy and the uncared for. If there is one religion which India and the nations need today, it is the religion of service and sacrifice.
“So many Gods, so many creeds,
So many ways that wind and wind,
While just the art of being kind
Is all this sad world needs!”
In 1680, Shivaji was on his death bed. His friends and relatives were around him and they wept. He consoled them, “Weep Not,” he said, “Life is short; Liberty’s work is incomplete: I go.”
For peasants and the village folk worked Shivaji: for them he wandered from place to place. How many of India’s youths are ready today to dedicate themselves to the service of the poor, peasants and the village-folk? Cities are soulless: in the hearts of the poor and the humble village-folk is the holy Shrine of Freedom.
(The author si President Home of Aged & Infirm, Ambphalla, Jammu)
